The top Defence story is the announcement that the steel cut for the Royal Navy’s new next generation Type 26 Global Combat Ship will take place in summer 2017. There has also been continued coverage on the murder of six military policemen in Iraq in 2003.
Type 26
There is widespread coverage of the new Type 26 Global Combat Ship. Reporting in The Times, Scotsman, the Herald, Daily Mirror, BBC and Sky, said that this had secured billions of pounds worth of investment in British shipbuilding on the Clyde and hundreds of skilled jobs through until 2035. The announcement also appeared in The Telegraph ahead of the official announcement on Friday, which was made by Secretary of State Michael Fallon in an interview on BBC Radio Good Morning Scotland.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said:
Backed by Britain’s rising Defence budget, the Type 26 Programme will deliver a new generation of cutting-edge warships for our Royal Navy at best value for taxpayers.
The UK government’s commitment today will secure hundreds of high-skilled shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde for at least two decades and hundreds more in the supply chain across Britain.
Regarding enquires as to where the steel for these ships will be sourced from:
An MOD spokesperson said:
The Type 26 Programme will secure hundreds of high-skilled shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde for at least two decades and hundreds more in the supply chain across Britain. UK steel suppliers have an opportunity to bid for new contracts. No orders have been placed yet.
Iraq
The Times reports on claims from a former SAS soldier that Iraqis involved in an attack on them during an attempt to investigate the murder of six military policemen in 2003 have been awarded a significant compensation.
An MOD spokesperson said:
Our Armed Forces are rightly held to the highest standards and we investigate credible allegations of criminal behaviour.
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